Meddling Slytherin
by FoundNLost
Summary: Trying to complete a job for the Order, Hermione is sent back in time with only one set of instructions: Meddle. A Sev/Herm fic.
1. Mixed Messages

Chapter One: Mixed Messages

The first two drop offs had gone off without a hitch. This time her target had managed to get the drop on her and she cursed herself for her stupidity. Six years of preparation as a witch and the seventh spent fighting a war and the very one she was supposed to avoid direct contact with had caught her! Hermione mentally berated herself as she tried to remove her bindings. Well at least he had been kind enough to put the chair he had tied her to in the center of the room – the pickup point she would be leaving from. Fat lot of good that piece of luck would do her if he killed her. _So much_ _for being the cleverest witch of my age._

"What, precisely, do you think you're doing here?" Her captor drawled. He was obviously enjoying himself; toying with his wand and circling her like a buzzard. Hermione stopped fidgeting with the ropes considered him for a moment. He was her age exactly on this night, twenty-three, and sure of his supreme place in the world. After all, he had managed reverse who was trapping whom tonight.

One point in her favor was his over confidence; he did not try too hard to remove her hood. When simple tampering and a few spells had failed to remove her hooded cloak, he had given up trying and simply glared into its darkness, giving her time to decide how fix this situation. He looked proud, powerful, but still came off as incredibly young. All of that would change tonight. This was the man who would eventually become the most feared potions master in Europe.

Snape leaned in close to her face, vainly trying to intimidate her. "You try my patience, and time is short. So answer my questions and I will end this quickly." She snorted and recited the third message of the stack she'd been given and had easily memorized. "Tonight your world will end, and it will not be your fault. Tonight he goes forth to set his plan in motion. Tonight you lose what matters most." The Death Eater Snape stepped back and raised an eyebrow at her. "What drivel are you spouting? You can't possibly be from the ministry; even they have retained some of their mental capacities." Deviating from her script, she laughed at the irony of _her _delivering what sounded like a prophecy. "Well I suppose being cryptic is a way to ensure that you puzzle over this. Because I'm not from the ministry but I did manage to get you here by yourself. Tied up or not you'll find I have the upper hand."

He pointed his wand at her throat. "I fail to see how. Are you hoping for a miraculous rescue? I can assure you, you'll be dead long before any help can arrive." She shook her head as a faint beeping began to emanate from her robe pocket. "Because I know what the most important thing is, Severus Snape, what matters most." He sneered, jabbing the wand hard into her neck. "Ah yes, this thing that I will lose tonight. Tell me, what is so important about tonight? What is it that you think I will care about losing? What does…" he drawled "matter most?"

She looked up at him, the soon to be teacher threatening to murder her, doubly glad he could not see her face as she said "love." Then, quite spectacularly, she vanished. Leaving only the chair, a small stack of papers, and a very stunned Death Eater.

* * *

><p>That night in 1981 both Voldemort and Lilly were dead. Severus Snape had nothing left. And when Dumbledore came to pick up the pieces, instead of turning him down to continue the work of a power hungry mad man, he held on to the memory of the one who, if only briefly, had given him love.<p>

* * *

><p>Hermione cursed as she landed with a thump on the floor. <em>Well, at least I'm not tied up anymore. <em>She thought ruefully. Rubbing her wrists, she tugged down the hood of her cloak and focused on when and where she was. It was ten after ten and she was in Hogwarts, in a corridor somewhere. It was all going according to the plan she had memorized. She had fifteen minutes to get into the right part of the castle. Hurrying she ran to a tapestry that she recognized and began running down the secret passage hidden behind it.

Nearing the end, she quickly pulled off her cloak, enchanted so only she could do so – another simple but effective product of the Weasley twins. Underneath she was wearing her Gryffindor uniform, which barely helped her pass as a graduating student. It was 10 years after Harry had been made an orphan, and 10 years since Severus Snape had become potions master of the school. It was time to give him another cryptic message. This time in the guise of a student delivering a message for a teacher. He would hardly recognize her next year when she came to Hogwarts as a fist year. Especially seeing as she had developed quite noticeably as she came into her adulthood. Why was she popping up in Professor Snape's life and offering him random seeming bits of advice? And at a break neck pace?

_It all started with Dumbledore's death. _She thought rather wistfully as she ran. _And his subsequent return to life. _He would go down as one of the few wizards to have cheated death. How he still wouldn't explain, even though the war was over and no one was trying to kill him. His plans however, had been inventive and had helped turn the tide of the war against Voldemort. Without him, they may not have won. However, that truly could be said for almost all the people she knew. The dead and the living.

But victory did not mean celebration and the cozy life she had imagined with Ron. Instead, responsibility and the workload had only increased for the Order of the Phoenix. With the ministry in shambles, it was up to the Order to round up Voldemort's supporters. Of course, they did not go easily. Then, just when things seemed to calm down a bit, the defeated Death Eaters, the ones not captured or killed, had decided to go back in time and try to warn their leaders to what the future held in the hopes it could be changed. Dumbledore had decided to meet this tactic with one of his own. The members of the order of the phoenix would go back and give a gentle nudging to certain key players to keep them on the right track and keep them sane during certain points of both their life and the war. Hermione had drawn Professor Snape.

Finally reaching the end of the passage, she checked the small alarm clock in her pocket. There was still seven minutes before she had to make it to the next pick up point. Dropping the spelled robe behind the new tapestry, she stepped out into the corridor. Her directions said he should be along any second. A light rounded the corner followed by Professor Snape, just the man she had been waiting for. "What are you doing out of bed? 50 points from Gryffindor!"

Hermione smiled brightly and absentmindedly, and when she spoke, it was in a very perky tone. "Oh sir! I'm sorry sir! Professor McGonagall said to give you a message, but I couldn't find you and…" He cut her off with a sneer. The light from his wand cast stark shadows over his face, making him far more sinister looking then daylight ever could. His hair remained part of the shadow, reflecting no light. She mentally cataloged that fact. He was not greasy, that too had been part of his role with Voldemort. His unpleasant demeanor however, was obviously a personality quark. Even though the war was over, and Professor Snape's true alliances revealed, Hermione still had to defend him to Harry and Ron. She wouldn't have bothered if it weren't for the fact that, as heroes, they should set a better example than petty bickering.

"Out with it then, before you disappoint her further by losing more house points." She allowed her smile to dim somewhat and then fade into a hurt sort of pout. _I can feel him dropping my IQ level already. How could any girl stand to act this way? _Hermione thought as she put her hands to her pockets. She couldn't feel her packet of papers. Without giving into panic or even batting an eyelash, she looked demurely at her feet illuminated by his wand. "Professor McGonagall said to tell you that 'Just because you've lost something doesn't mean it's gone, or that you should give up on it entirely.'" She frowned as if thoughtful and said, "Well that doesn't make much sense to me. Did you lose something professor?"

"Undoubtedly my mind, if you think I'd believe such drivel came from the head of Gryffindor." He drawled. _Three minutes left! _She fidgeted with impatiencethat probably helped solidify the image of a girl trying to get out of trouble. "No doubt she'll want to hear this fascinating tale in the morning." She protested as he dragged her to the Gryffindor tower and shoved her inside. Barely waiting for it to close behind her, she recklessly whispered to the portrait and exited. Racing off she couldn't go back for her cloak, but made it to her next checkpoint before the clock started beeping.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later found Severus Snape ending his rounds of the school. He followed his routine, made sure everything was in order, and that no one was spying on him. Then he went over to his desk and pulled out an old, yellowing stack of paper. Looking down at the first sheet, he put it aside. At the second sheet, he stared a long time before putting it aside with the first. The third and forth however he folded and put in his pocket before taking the rest back to his chair for some light reading.<p>

* * *

><p>This next drop off was also in Hogwarts, three years later. Hermione was glad she memorized what she was supposed to say and when, her searching had proven fruitless. The papers were well and truly lost. Her only hope was that the stacks of paper were with her cloak in the secret passage. Her target this time was Professor Snape's study. She was to scrawl the message on to his wall. She wondered how much these inane messages actually helped him focus on winning the war. They would drive her to distraction. <em>But perhaps that's the point. <em>Hermione thought. _After all, he is balancing two lives right now. One belonging to Voldemort, and one to Dumbledore. Besides reaffirming to himself that the path of light _is_ what he wants, it gives him something less serious to focus on._

Hermione skidded to a halt outside his office in the dungeon and straitened her uniform. It was now the middle of her third year. While she didn't look like a third year, she hardly thought Professor Snape would notice if he happened to come along. Carefully she opened the door to his study and slipped through, shutting it quietly behind her. "Miss Granger, what do you think you are doing?" Hermione jumped and turned, just as guiltily as any student caught red handed.

"I can explain Sir!" She said quickly. He raised an eyebrow but remained sitting in his desk. "Do so then, quickly, before you lose your house precious points." She winced and then said timidly. "Professor Dumbledore sent me to fetch you. He wants to meet with you in the teacher's lounge. I believe it's about the Dementors, sir." Hermione congratulated herself on her quick thinking. "I didn't knock because…" She hesitated with feigned worry. "Well…On my way down here I thought I saw Malfoy _following _me." He stood rolling his eyes. "Miss Granger your school girl dramas are none of my concern, remove yourself from my office at once. Do not enter again without my permission or the consequences will be dire."

She did so meekly. As soon as she got outside his room, she turned down the nearest side passage to wait. After five minutes passed, she went to his door and knocked. No answer. Again, Hermione slipped into the room, this time finding it empty. She went over to a blank piece of wall and began inscribing her message with her wand. The soft brush of cloth on stone told her she wasn't alone. Without thinking she dived behind the desk and came up from a roll, wand pointed at the source of the sound. Reacting as she had in now countless battles, the words of a spell were nearly out of her mouth before she stopped moving. "Avada -" "Expellimos!" Despite having lost the advantage of surprise, he managed to hit her with a spell before she had even finished hers.

She hit the wall and slid down it, then stood shakily to face her attacker. Professor Snape stood unconcernedly holding her wand. Somehow she had been caught again by the very man whom she had been sent back to help. This time she had almost killed him. _Education levels must have decreased drastically if _I_ am the cleverest witch of my age. How could I have been so stupid?_ "Sloppy Miss Granger." Professor Snape drawled moving closer. She scooted along the wall away from him, not knowing what he would do next. He tisked and examined her wand. A spell caused it to glow green, flashing three times. "Unforgivables? I am disappointed; a real witch finds ways to end violent confrontations with a more imaginative threat."

Fear caused her to find her tongue. "Sir, I can't explain but…" Snape cut her off with a dismissive gesture. "No, Miss Granger I don't think there is a reasonable explanation. One of the golden trio walking such dark paths, I do believe Professor Dumbledore will be most displeased." Before she could respond the alarm clock in her pocket started beeping. She didn't move, but stared at him defiantly. It was too late to make it to the pickup point. Waving his wand caused the small alarm clock to fly out of her pocket to him and he caught it in the same hand as her wand. "What's this?" He said. The part of her that was not terrified at being caught a second time, this time when he actually knew who she was, noticed angrily that he always took a twisted sort of pleasure out of catching someone, whom everyone praised, doing something wrong.

As he studied the alarm clock, his right eyebrow rose in surprise. Despite being a Muggle device, all of the button labels indicated something far more serious than simply keeping time. Hermione found herself burning in resentment as he continued to study it, easily learning its secrets. _How dare he show up and ruin everything again! _She thought as the frustration built. _The next drop off point is a year from now! I'll have to hide and hope I can sneak into the right pickup point at the right time! _Desperation also rose in her. _And that will only work if I have the alarm clock with me!_

Professor Snape lifted his gaze from the clock and gave her an amused smirk. "It would have been you wouldn't it? Meddlesome girl." Hermione glared at him. His eyes flicked to the half-completed message on the wall. 'Too many promises, too many vows, the past marches on…' Locking eyes with her, he finished the sentence. "'And protects the future.' Really now Miss Granger, was that the best you could come up with?" She opened her mouth to snap off a comeback but her mind froze. _How did he….? _

Again he smirked and then pulled out a sheet of yellow paper. On it, she recognized one of the many messages she was to deliver. "No of course not, this nonsense must have come from the Headmaster." The shock of seeing the paper restarted her brain. She tried to ignore her resentment and began to reason with him, "My mission sir, is to…" He cut her off…_Again_. "Is irrelevant Miss Granger, I assure you."

Hermione gave up on trying civility and politeness and took a leaf out of Harry and Ron's book. "Look I'm sure you'd like to indulge a bit longer in your petty gloating, because you're so _clever," _she bit off the words "but thanks to you I'm trapped here for another year before I can leave and have failed to successfully complete my mission. So if you don't mind _you great bloody git _give me that alarm clock back so that I have a chance of surviving this mistake!" Panting after her loud rant, she did feel slightly better and more in control. _Perhaps the boys have a point. _

Still looking rather full of himself, Professor Snape changed his baring subtlety, somehow seeming to loom over her though he hadn't moved from the other side of the room. "Seeing how you are quite understandably distressed I'll over look your…outburst Miss Granger." His condescending tone made her want to scream but she settled for glaring at him. _If looks could kill…_ "However, you did not fail in your 'mission' merely completed it early." He continued as if they were talking about a simple potion's assignment.

Using his wand, he tapped on the top of both her wand and the alarm clock. "Since it was my life you were taking liberties with, even under orders, and seeing as your previous assignment is complete, I want you to run an errand for me." Anger and curiosity warred in her but hating a teacher, even one so patronizing, was still new and could not hold out against eighteen years of _having _to know something. "What sort of errand, Professor?" Hermione asked suspiciously. Habit dictated her speech patterns as well.

With a minimal flick of his wrist, he sent the alarm clock back to her and she caught it like a lifeline. The time was set to leave in one minute. She looked up at him in horror. If he had changed the spell's program too much, she may never get back to her own time. Seeing her expression, he sighed in exasperation. "I added a new pickup and drop off point. After you have completed my task the next pick up point will take you to this exact spot one year from now, with fifteen minutes in which to make your next one." He held up a hand to prevent any protest she could form. "The pickup place is here, the date will be June 1, 1977 at ten in the morning. I'm sure I don't have to stress what will happen if you are late." He floated her wand back to her and finished, "good luck Miss Granger." The clock began to beep.

Panicking, all thoughts of anger left. "But you haven't told me what I'm to do!" She said rather desperately. He lifted an eyebrow and smirked at her "What you do best, interfering in things that do not concern you." With that cryptic statement ringing in her ears, she was gone.


	2. Lost Life

Chapter Two: Lost Life

The school faded from view and she found herself standing at Hogsmeade. Before she could get any more sense out of her surroundings, a crowd of people pushed past her nearly knocking her over in their enthusiasm. Hermione clutched at her wand and the alarm clock, until the jostling students had passed and her heart had slowed some. Taking a deep breath she looked around, taking note of the waiting carriages on the right and the boats down by the bank. Obviously it was September 1st but other than that she had no clue of when she was. _The best thing to do, _she decided, _would be to talk to Professor Dumbledore. _Nodding to herself, Hermione reached down to put the alarm clock into the relative safety of her pocket, only she couldn't find one. Looking down she saw that her clothes hung off her like huge rags.

_What in the world?_ Doing a double take, she realized that she had shrunk. Trying to remain calm, she decided to handle things practically. She shrunk her uniform to fit and then put away the alarm clock. Then, because she could think of nothing better to do, she joined the students getting into the carriages. Instead of being drawn by invisible horses this year, whatever year this was, there were what looked like starving black Pegasi leading the way. As she got a closer look a memory surfaced, one of Harry and Luna discussing thestrals. _You can only see them if you've seen some one die, _she recalled. For a moment, faces, names, and images of flashing lights in the night overwhelmed her. So many had died in the war. Hermione turned away from the thestrals only to see something more shocking.

Her reflection had caught in one of the nearby carriages but it was not the confident twenty three year old that looked back at her. Instead, she saw the awkward bushy haired girl she had been at age eleven. For a moment, she stood and stared, and then calmly she climbed in and sat down. While waiting for the trip to the castle to end, Hermione gladly forgot the pain of the war in favor of her violent daydreams. _How dare he! _She raged silently. _Who does he think he is? When I get my hands on that Snarky bastard, he'll wish _he _had died in the war! _ By the time they had arrived, she was fidgeting so impatiently that the two Ravenclaw girls discussing philosophy across from her had stopped talking and were exchanging glances over her. Finally, the door opened and she flew into the castle and into the main hall.

Surprisingly Professor McGonagall was still the one waiting for the first years. Hermione ignored the admonitions to slow down and to "come back here young lady!" If anything, the sight of Professor McGonagall made her run faster. _I can't be too far back if she's still here._ She thought with relief. Skidding to a stop in front of the eagle statue, she said "Please I don't know the password but it's an emergency!" The words had barely left Hermione's mouth be for the statue turned and admitted her into the Headmaster's office. He sat behind his cluttered desk looking timeless, kind, and wise. She only hoped he could help. He smiled and looked over his half moon glasses at her. "My dear girl what is the trouble? The sorting will start soon."

Desperately she jumped in. "Professor thank God you're here still, please I need your help." He tilted his head and looked at her. Before he could think her completely insane, she continued. "Sir I am…lost. I need to know when this is, the date sir." He looked over his glasses and said "It is September 1st 1970." She did some quick math. It was eight years before her birth. She took a deep breath and looked at Dumbledore but before she could explain, a thought hit her. "That bloody bastard! That no good, sorry sack of fly snot." _He sent me back in time without telling me the date and set the pickup point for 7 years later! _Completely forgetting that the Headmaster was there, she continued. "How dare he! Seven years? Trapped here seven years? Oh I will spend every minute of it devising curses so bad that those friends of his in Azkaban will flinch at the sound of them. How dare he!"

Professor Dumbledore waited until she paused for breath and then inserted "My dear I believe an explanation is in order?" Hermione stopped and remembered where and with whom she was. Feeling a faint blush stain her cheeks, she said "Yes Professor I suppose it is. I'm from the future, several years from the future in fact." She paused and considered how to proceed without giving too much information. "We've found a way to travel back in time with a stronger magic than, though similar to, the time turner." The professor raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "I had been assigned a job to do and was intercepted and sent back much farther than I was supposed to go originally." She took a deep breath and let it out. "The job was voluntary and we all knew the risk of being trapped…but that was in a time period slightly closer to our own. The only way I have home now I won't be able to utilize until June 1st 1977 or if I miss my window of opportunity, there is a good chance that I'll have grown old before I will be sent on this mission."

With a twinkle Dumbledore said "And in the future do we always send such young, though professional sounding, children on dangerous trips?" Hermione looked down at herself. She had completely forgotten her other predicament. "No sir, apparently I'm also under some sort of spell. I'm actually twenty three and have graduated from Hogwarts." Dumbledore raised a hand palm up. "May I see your wand?" She handed it to him and took a step back. Instantly her clothes felt both too short and too tight. "How…?" Dumbledore nodded. "Yes I thought so. Very clever prank spell created when I was young." He returned her wand and she felt a particular shrinking sensation that she hadn't noticed before. One of the portraits, Dilys Derwent, spoke up, "Sir the students are seated and the first years are almost lined up outside. The headmaster stood. She noticed his hand was whole and was transfixed on it for a moment.

"My dear, I think the best place for you is with the other first years." Hermione gapped at him. "I am unsure how to proceed but until I have made a decision, hiding you in plain sight would be best." He started towards the door and she followed, unable to protest. At the door, he paused and turned to face her seriously. "Everything you know about the future is to be left unsaid. Even your name could give trouble at a later date." He waved at her and her robes lost their scarlet and gold trim. "We will sort you under a new identity, and no one but myself will know of your predicament." Hermione thought about it for a moment. Finally, she smiled up at him and said, "Yes sir, I understand. Thank you so much for accepting me into Hogwarts under such short notice. My name is Hermione Gamp. My mother didn't realize and had me accepted into Durmstrang. She's a Muggle and couldn't understand why I would want to go to Hogwarts when its much further off from home."

He smiled with a twinkle in his eye. "Well, Miss Gamp, we're glad to have you. I shall see you in the dining hall in five minutes. Good luck with the sorting." Dumbledore left. Hermione paused before following him. None of the teachers had recognized her when she went through school. Nor had any of the Death Eaters ever gave any indication that they recognized her as anything other than Harry Potter's friend and another 'Mudblood.' She would have to be extra careful and not charge in or alter time, no matter how badly she was tempted to change things. Reaching up to touch her bushy hair, she thought _I cannot afford to stand out._

Suddenly very aware of the gasps and murmured awe coming from the new students in the great hall, she took her wand and cast the spell she had devised during her fourth year to tame her hair and make it silky smooth. Realizing that may not be enough she used her wand and defendo'd it until it was in something resembling a pixy cut. Hermione heard the doors open to the dining room and spent no time morning her hair. Instead, she burned it and then ran, just making it to the back of the first year line.

Taking a deep breath to clam herself, she forced herself to relax. She had done all she could do and now she could only wait. Inside her head, she went over the situation. Sent back in time by Severus Snape to 'meddle in things that did not concern her.' It was the year 1969 and her pickup date was in seven years. Doing some calculations in her head, she realized that it was the year that Harry's parents had started school. Casting a quick glance up the line, she was shocked to see so many familiar faces. There was James, he looked _just _like harry, and a little ahead of him was a nervous looking Remus Lupin. Two from the front, trying to gawk at everything was a girl with bright red hair and standing right behind her looking highly amused was Sirius Black

The boy ahead of her, short and somewhat round, reminding her of Neville in a small way, tripped. As he picked himself up, she got a good look at his pointy face. Hermione's vision went white for a moment and when she regained her sight, the line had stopped moving. She refrained from hexing the boy who would grow up to be a rat. The hat on the stool up at the front of the room ahead of them began to sing but she really wasn't paying attention. She had finally taken note of the four house tables, which were achingly familiar but filled with foreign faces. _Well mostly foreign_. She thought with a sneer as she caught sight of a blond head at the center of the Slytherin table. As she scanned the rest of the table, she saw a distressing number of people she recognized, all of them were death eaters, or would be soon enough.

Hermione shook her head to clear her mind as the great hall burst into applause and tried to focus on the sorting. Every other name that was called she recognized, and either knew or managed to guess where they were going to be sorted. When "Gamp, Hermione" was called she walked up to the stool, very aware off all the eyes on her in a way she hadn't been the first time she had been sorted. She let the hardness of the stool reassure her as the hat came down to cover her eyes. _Why hello there! What do we have here? _The voice in the hat sounded honestly surprised. _You've already been sorted, haven't you? But I think I'd remember such an interesting Gryffindor. Smart, but strong and brave too. You've got troubles, and will have to adapt and overcome to see this mess through to the end. You need all the help you can get, so it had better be…._Slytherin!

As the Slytherin table applauded, Hermione sat shocked. The hat was removed from her head and she stood and mechanically walked over to the table and sat down at the end with the other three people who had been sorted into Slytherin. _But I'm a Gryffindor! _Hermione thought distantly. A boy with messy brown hair nudged her as the Ravenclaw table began clapping. "Careful now, don't want to be labeled as prey." She looked him over and realized he did not seem familiar at all. He nodded up the table at the older Slytherins, some of which were glancing down the table with an air of superiority. _There _were the faces she recognized. She gave them a venomous look and turned back to the boy. He gave her a small smile. "There you go. A Slytherin never shows weakness." He turned back to watch the sorting. She looked down at her robes, now green and silver, instead of the comforting Gryffindor colors. She looked around the great hall, the strange and the familiar faces, a place that was home for so long, but now seemed like nothing more than a cage.

Snorting at the irony of _her _finding school a prison, Hermione focused on the sorting. She clapped when her table clapped and pretended to enjoy herself. When dinner appeared, everything was understated, as if the Slytherin table was hosting a semiformal event instead of eating after an all day train ride. She picked at her food and glanced around, already worried about being trapped in a dorm with them. How would she survive?


	3. Slytherin Style

_**Note: **__**It's so cool I have people watching this story! Sorry its taken me so long to update. This chapter is kind of short, but it's really just some more setting the scence stuff. Let me know what you think!**_

Chapter Three: Slytherin Style

Walking into the Slytherin house was like walking into another world. It was not just the colors, or the inhabitants, but also the layout and the dynamics. The Gryffindor house always felt like a second home; the dormitories were where you slept but the common room was where you lived. Clothes, books, games, and everything else besides found its way there eventually. Even on the first night back, the common room looked a little bit cluttered and welcoming. Instead, Hermione and the other first years entered a formal sitting room were the rest of their new house waited for them. Those not quietly arrayed on the couches and straight back lounge chairs stood nicely as a group, looking as if they were waiting for an extended family photo.

The first years slowly filled up the area around entrance portrait and stood nervously facing the rest of the house. Hermione fingered the wand in her pocket. _So many problems could be avoided if I just hexed them all now. _She thought to herself. An older boy stepped forward with shoulder length blond hair and an inviting lift to the eyebrows, making you feel as if you were below him but that you should be honored to be there. All of which gave Lucius Malfoy an air of authority that his son would never have. "Welcome, new Slytherins, to your home and family for the next seven years." She glanced around at the others to see if this was strange to them, but they all seemed to have expected this or some sort of entrance speech. Returning her attention to the center of the room, she tried not to let her loathing of the older boy show. "The Slytherin house has its roots in ambition, wit, and power. We are the crème of the school and the heirs of élite." He looked intently at the group in front of him. "While inside this dormitory we may have our differences, to the rest of the school we remain united and untouchable."

Hermione rolled her eyes at Lucius's pretentious speech. Her eyes caught the glint of a silver pin on his chest and realized he must be a Perfect. _What is it about that pin that gives young men delusions of grandeur? _The rest of the Slytherin first years seemed entranced by his words and charm. Of course, they were eleven years old, away from home from the first time, and he was promising them that they would not have to be alone. Suddenly it seemed that she was far older than twenty-three and so very tired. She wondered how much more of this she would have to endure. A loud and somewhat exaggerated yawn came from behind her and suddenly everyone's attention turned to a skinny boy in the back. "Perhaps you could make us feel even more welcome by showing us to our beds….?" The dorm broke out into laughter and then followed a still smiling Malfoy's directions.

She remained staring at the boy who now wore a slightly arrogant smirk. He had sallow skin, long messy black hair, and a very distinctive beak of a nose. The boy was Severus Snape. Somehow, she was surprised even though it seemed obvious now that he would be here. There was nothing she could do right now, and she was bone tired. He walked past her without taking notice and followed the boys to the right. Following the girls to the left-handed hall that led off the common room, she gave a half-hearted vow to add to his child hood scars.

The sleeping arrangements were yet another drastic change from what she was expecting. Instead of the girls breaking off into year groups and entering separate bedchambers, each girl had the choice of her own individual room anywhere down the hall. All of the closer ones were taken of course, but otherwise you could choose one that suited you and was close to your friends. Wondering at the luxury that Gryffindor did not have, she kept walking down the hall until she was five or six rooms down from the closest neighbor. While this meant she was farther away from both the exit and the bathrooms, she had the safety of isolation. _Speaking of safety…_

Closing the door behind her, Hermione began to cast wards around the small room. The hardest one to do was to convince the castle to let her make the room unnoticeable, unless it was pointed out to them. Usually the spell was cast only on businesses and homes that were in Muggle cities or neighborhoods. The room itself was small but had a bed, a small desk with a chair, and a wardrobe. Deciding to make the best of a bad situation, Hermione changed the room's coloring from green with silver trim to a more clam cream and green. Finally collapsing on the bed, she wondered at her situation.

_Worst-case scenario and I stay here all seven years…_ Somehow, she would have to get past the fact that almost all the older students here were responsible for many of her friends' deaths. Somehow, she would have to figure out how to blend into _Slytherin _of all places, as well as with her new "age group." _And somehow, I will have to pay dear Professor Snape back for this. _Finally, exhaustion caught up with her and she fell asleep.

The next morning she awoke disoriented and it took her a moment to remember where she was. Her clothes were too tight again and Hermione allowed herself a moment of dismay. It was going to be near impossible to guarantee that she had her wand on her at all times. Eventually she would get caught. The self-pity passed quickly and she got up. On the desk waiting for her was a stack of books and a note.

_**Dear Miss Gamp,**_

_**I realize your sudden transfer left you no time to pack certain essentials and have taken the same measures with your belongings as is done with orphan children. In addition, I believe you left this family heirloom in my office yesterday. Take care to wear it always so as not to lose it again.**_

_**Dumbledore**_

_Family heirloom? _ Hermione wondered looking on the desk. Sitting on top of the books she would need for class was a locket. It was sliver with an ornate letter G on the front. Picking it up she felt that particular sinking sensation again, and she put the locket around her neck. _There is one worry taken care of_. She thought gratefully. _ Now let's see if I can get a shower and go to breakfast without discovering any more problems. _ Going over to the wardrobe, Hermione found several robes, a few other sets of clothing, and some miscellaneous items. Collecting what she needed, she went to the bathroom, glad to discover she was one of the few early morning risers.


	4. Information Insert

**Sorry, I broke my compu and only recently got it replaced. This is the last thing I did before going MIA, but I'll soon be posting new chapters. I am so happy people seem to like this story, but I don't know where you think it is or isn't going. I hope you're pleased with what happens next.**

By the time she had finished showering and made it down to breakfast, over half the Slytherins were already seated and eating. The boy who had warned her about keeping up appearances in front of their house mates, introduced himself as Thomas Burke. Hermione hoped the fact that his name was unfamiliar meant he didn't turn out to be evil when he grew up.

After the owls flew the prefects passed out the class schedules. It seemed the classes were on a rotating schedule, so you had every class with every house. Today the Slytherins had potions first with the Hufflepuffs. That was all to the good in Hermione's opinion. _Perhaps the inter-house rivalry isn't quite so bad yet. _ She looked down the table to where the young Snape sat. He was shooting sad looks at a red hair girl sitting at the Griffindor table. He looked particularly pathetic when the girl laughed at something someone said. Something told her that this girl was Lilly, though she couldn't have been the only red head back when Harry's parents went to school. Maybe it was the eyes. _But why is Snape staring at her? _Hermione wondered. _Maybe they met on the train? _

Shrugging, she resumed listening to Thomas who, having been surprised to learn that she was part of an unrecognized by blow line of the Gamp family, had begun explaining things about the wizarding world relevant to the Slytherins. "See, just like Prefect Lucius said when we came in, wizards are very aware of rank and status. Even while at school." The boy gestured up and down the table. "How we are seated at the table is based off of rank and a good way to define where you stand with the others." Hermionie looked incredulously at him. He held up a hand. "No look. As first years we're sat down at the end of the table farthest away from the head table – that way we can't embarrass the house in front of the professors."

A couple of the other first years began showing interest in the discussion. "Second years are sat at the other end as both a sign of trust and because they are still too new to have gained much status. After that you move closer to the center based on grades, popularity, sports, and the like." Hermione shook her head. _ I rather doubt that practice was kept up in my time. _ Thomas continued, obviously enjoying the attention the others were giving him. "Now that's just the basics. You can also do things that impress someone with a higher rank and they'll let you sit by them, which will improve your standing. But if the next day you do something embarrassing you and the other person will both move down in standing, you because you messed up, and him because he approved of you in the first place."

A girl with curly black hair spoke up. "How do _you_ know so much? The Burkes aren't a noble wizarding family name." That caught the attention of all the Slytherins within hearing distance. Despite not having been here long, it was painfully obvious that in Slytherin, blood status _mattered_. Which is why Hermione was lying through her teeth about her family. "My mother is a Gamp, and my grandparents have been raising me, trying to make up for mother sullying the blood. I probably know more than any _lesser _blooded family." Thomas responded with meaningful emphases. The listeners grinned and went back to their meals. The girl blushed and looked away.

Thomas turned back to Hermione. "Your line maybe diluted, but we're still practically cousins. We're both half-bloods besides, so we should probably look out for one another." He stuck out his hand and she smiled despite herself. Taking his had she thought _surely it can't hurt. In Slytherin I'll need someone on my side._


	5. Classes Commence

Perhaps if Hermione had thought ahead, she'd have realized how time consuming classes were. _Of course this is my second run through the most basic material, but I remember there never being _enough _time in classes... _She gave a sigh and looked down at the paper she had been taking notes on. It was covered in her personal short hand, but she just didn't know enough about time travel to even begin drawing conclusions. _And instead of spending every waking hour in the restricted section studying, I'm stuck listening to a mix of things I already know, and Professor Slughorn's gloating over the famous people he's trained. _While Hermione could have been taking notes on the differences in past and present teaching methods and the change in curriculum from this time to hers, she found she just didn't care.

Dumbledore had said that he would work on finding a way to fix her alarm clock to get her back to the proper time…But unlike Harry, Hermione didn't have unshakeable faith in the man. From her perspective the Headmaster was the sort who brought the best out of others, not a hero whose very presence cured all ills. Which meant she should be doing _something_ about her situation. Despite her restless feelings, she felt reluctant to either make any attempt to leave or actively participate in anything happening around her.

Hermione had gone over in her head several times what Professor Snape had said right before tossing her back in time, and had drawn several conclusions. She _had _gone back in time and made some sort of impact on the young Snape. Somehow she'd done it in such a way that no one, not even he, had known that it was Hermione Granger who had been here. What she couldn't figure out is what he wanted her to do. _'Meddle in things that do not concern me,' indeed_! Hermione mentally snorted. _Positively? Negatively? With him specifically? The entire past is a place that does not 'concern' me! I mean _really, _with the right sort of logic he could be giving me permission to rewrite our history. _Lost in thought she didn't realize that her name had been called until her tablemate kicked her.

With a yelp, she brought her attention back to her surroundings and the Gryffindor's laughing. Hermione's face turned red, but she ignored them and focused on the bemused professor. "I'm sorry sir, I didn't hear the question." Professor Slughorn gestured to the class to quiet down. "I was asking, Miss Gamp, if you happened to know where I might find a bezoar stone? Unless you believe that you're immune to poison?" Face turning even redder she mumbled out the correct answer and was glad when he turned his attention to one of the other students. The girl sitting beside her, Mafalda Prewett, leaned over and whispered harshly, "Way to make us look bad on the first day, Gamp. Is your family sure you aren't a squib?" Hermione gave her a sharp glare, but a quick glance around showed that many of her housemates felt the same.

She ended up spending the rest of the class resisting an urge to bang her head against the desk. At the end of it Hermione waited until most of the Slytherins had filed out of the room before following. A group of Gryffindor boys shoved past her at the door causing her to drop all her books. To her surprise the boy who led them was none other than James Potter. He tossed a grin over his shoulder and said, "If you're not going to pay attention in class, at least be _subtle_ about it Slytherin." The little rat of a boy, Peter laughed. "Yeah. Maybe you should be in Hufflepuff!" Hermione ignored them in favor of picking up her stuff and the two boys left to catch up with the rest of the group. For a second she thought about jinxing them, but since she wasn't supposed to know spells yet…

_Second guessing every action I want to take is going to get old fast. _Hermione thought as she shouldered her bag and headed to the next class. She was used to being made fun of, but what made her angry was who had done it. Not that she was naive enough to believe that Slytherns were the ones who always initiated fights, but she had rather thought better of the heroes Harry's parents were supposed to become. _Maybe he has a point though… Subtle and Slytherins are supposed to go together. _A plan began to form in her mind. _Perhaps the reason that no one recognized me is because I wasn't 'me.' Maybe it's not that I have to try not to draw attention to myself, but instead blend in so well I become 'just another Slytherin.' _Mind racing at the possibilities, Hermione hardly noticed how quickly the rest of her classes that day went.

* * *

><p>Three months after the beginning of the school year and Slytherin, along with the rest of the new students, had finally settled into a sort of hierarchy. Severus, surprisingly, was rather popular in their house. He was intelligent and had managed to become one of Lucius Malfoy's favored lower classmen. The only thing keeping him from universal acceptance in the house, aside from his inability to suffer fools, was his attachment to a certain Gryffindor and the friction that it caused with the other houses. Lilly remained determinedly loyal to him, despite the trouble their friendship caused.<p>

They had grown up together; in fact he had been the one to tell Lilly all about the Wizarding world. She was a true friend, who somehow managed to make his life seem less miserable until the day they had both received their letters. She was just as clever as he; in fact she was much better at charms than Severus. He refused to give up an intelligent study partner just because his childhood friend had been sorted into a competitive house. _Gryffindors_ he mentally sneered.

Since the first day in potions Severus had determined that Lilly was the only redeeming quality of the entire house. The rest were crude, arrogant, and unnecessarily violent. _Take James Potter and his little gang for example; they exemplify everything that was wrong with that house. _The Potters, like the Malfoys, were an old Wizarding family. Unlike Lucius though, James took his popularity for granted. He gathered a handful of students around him, but made no effort to build a power base to remain well liked by others, and actually went out of his way to pick fights to prove his 'superiority'.

_He also has an irrational prejudice against Slytherin, even though nearly all influential political leaders come from this house._ For what reason Severus couldn't tell, but part of him suspected that it was Black who gave Potter the slanted outlook. Sirius Black was Potter's best friend, and much like Lilly and Severus, they were never apart. The Blacks were strictly purebloods and hadn't been sorted outside of Slythern for a hundred years until Sirius. Something his older brother was indiscreet enough to yell at him for the morning after the sorting. _Which only served to drive Black further away from his family. _Severus shrugged. _Sometimes family _isn't _everything. I should know. _

Next in the group was a tubby hanger on named Peter Petigrew. He followed them around like a kid brother. He did whatever Potter or Black wanted, and desperately wanted to be one of the popular Gryffindors. _As if he will ever be more than their little sycophant. _Somehow Petigrew's pathetic nature made the last of them seem admirable in comparison. Along with Severus and Lilly, Remus Lupin was one of the few outstanding first years. He was shy, his shabby appearance proved him as poor as Severus was, but he had a find mind. _And yet he wastes it nagging the other three into study habits and essays. _

The group, led by James Potter, had dubbed themselves the marauders. The Gryffindor boys routinely broke the rules, were caught out after curfew, and started a crusade against Slytherins beginning with Severus. His friendship with Lilly was obviously part of some sort of devious scheme to gather information on the enemy house. Or at least that was what they claimed. Somehow their insistence of how underhanded and inherently evil the Slytherin house was, had influenced some of the other houses behavior towards Slytherins in general. Not one to take insults lying down, Severus had ended up in several fights with the trouble making Gryffindors.

Lucius occasionally helped, but the young half-blood managed to win just as many of the battles as he lost, despite the three to one odds. _Perhaps if any of them were competent at the spells we have learned already, let alone some of the more advanced ones they try to use, I _might _have something to worry about_. Severus thought a little superiorly. _After all, I actually study with Lucius – a third year – and without Lupin the rest of them wouldn't have mastered _levitating _charms_.

Laughter broke out around him, snapping Severus out of his thoughts. The Slytherins were in Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws, and were practicing their switching spells on buttons and beads. After looking around for the source of everyone's amusement, he saw that the Gamp girl had managed to switch her table for the Professor's desk. As fitting for a respected pure blood family, she was powerful…but seemed to lack any talent for discretion or control.

If she wasn't so antisocial Severus would have said she would be better suited to the Gryffindors or the Hufflepuffs. And even though it was against the official house policy to be united in front of others, Severus couldn't help but nettle her whenever she did something that made Slytherins look bad. "Good going Gamp." He said glaring at the girl. She didn't meet his eyes, but was frowning at the desktop. Her hair was so short though, he could see her face and the blush upon it. "Of course, _proper_ Slytherins point their wands at their target."

At his scathing tone she looked up and replied "Interfere with my business and I'll meddle in yours, Snape." He raised an eyebrow which made the flush on her face grow brighter. "Oh?" he questioned. From her attitude, she was probably red with anger not embarrassment. "And how is that a threat?"

A satisfied smile spread across the Gamp girl's face. "Because p_roper_ Slytherins don't break _house _rules," A sudden shock of wet and cold spilled down his back. "And those who do are punished." Laughter broke out again as the class caught sight of the now empty pitcher hovering above Severus. Of course Professor McGonagall didn't return from the errand she had been running until a few minutes later, when the situation had descended into item flinging between the two. A week's worth of detention and a bruised ego earned Hermione Gamp a place of loathing second only to James Potter in Severus's mind.


	6. Divergent Dilemmas

To Severus' astonishment, the Gryffindor's vendetta against him actually inspired them to _study_. Not their textbooks of course, so their more advanced spell work was based on shaky foundations, but they were actually beginning to become a challenge. Black and Potter managed to keep up with Severus with brute force, and Lupin tutored them out of text books from the library. So while their grades didn't seem to rise above average, the amount of time they spent ambushing the Slytherin first years, especially Snape, increased drastically. It'd been half a year and the time they spent in dentition must have set a new record for Hogwarts. _Not that my own time there has been inconsiderable. _

Despite Lilly's pleading not to 'descend to their childish level,' Severus had managed to play just as many tricks on the Marauders as they had done to him. _Of course I'd prefer to one up them…But that _would _be childish and take away from mine and Lilly's studies. _Severus now rather enjoyed the distance caused by their different houses. It made the time Lilly and he spent together just as special as when Lilly was attending her muggle primary school. _And we both enjoy top honors in our respective houses, instead of compete for them._

Strangely though, it wasn't just the Gryffindor's whose grades differed from obvious talent. The Gamp girl who had attracted his loathing with her apparent inability to master a spell without messing it up a number of times, occasionally surprised him with a flash of cunning and control that was at odds with her blundering in the class room. _Although, I must admit, she limits her tricks to retaliation for the insults paid to her. _Severus's lip curled. He hated wasted ability. He unconsciously stirred the simmering cauldron in front of him. _She humiliates me with surprisingly accurate and delicate spells, but then fails the most simple of tasks set to her until after much practice. Even then, she manages to barely succeed preforming a spell by using far too much force._

Lilly, his potions partner, tapped him on the shoulder to let him know that it was time to switch. They had been taking turns stirring to keep the rhythm steady and switched out every five minutes to keep time. He handed over the spoon and checked over the book once more. The potion caused giddiness. The next step was to add a catalyst of their choosing from the list. Depending on the one they chose, and how well they brew their potions, the strength of the potion would vary. Severus pointed one of them out to Lilly and she nodded in agreement before drifting off into a daydream, much as he had.

He walked to the front of the classroom, but as he headed into the ingredient cupboard he ran into someone who gave a small yelp. The Gamp girl looked up at him indignantly from the ground. "Snape, I should have known." She muttered. She set aside the two bottles she had been holding, stood, and began brushing the dust off of her uniform. Severus had a testy remark at the tip of his tongue, but was distracted by what the bottles held. One was full of mud adder fangs, an ingredient on the list, but the other had jackalope antler slivers, which was not…_And not even on the first year ingredient shelf! _Picking up the bottle, he showed it to the girl.

"Gamp, what are you doing with this?" Seeing what he held, she glared. "None of your business Snape! Give it back!" She reached out to take it, but Severus pulled the bottle back. "I don't see why I should. You're either up to no good, just _happened _to misread the shelf you picked this up off of, or are planning to steal it." He raised an eyebrow, a habit he had picked up from Lucius. "Which is it Gamp?" The girl gave him a venomous glare. "None of the above." She ran a hand through her short hair and then shrugged.

"Hand it back and I'll tell you." Still looking angry she said, "I'll give my word on House Unity." Curious, Severus handed the bottle back. In Slythern vowing on House Unity was a serious thing. Anyone who broke their word was ostracized from the rest, and rumor had it that some students had been driven to suicide. Gamp picked up her other bottle and then walked past him, stepping out of the cupboard.

In a low tone she spoke. "One sliver will make this a potion of hysterical laughter, and Thomas and I will receive a lower grade because of it." Severus looked at her skeptically. "And why," He said with a drawl, "would that be a good thing?" She shrugged and looked back at him. "I want to blend in. Being intelligent, good at something, or just standing out positively makes you a target. Hadn't you noticed?" With that she returned to her tablemate. Severus stared after her for a moment then grabbed the rose essence and went back to his potion. Lilly looked at him curiously, he had barely made it back in time to switch out with her, but he didn't explain what had taken him so long.

_I suppose she is right. _He thought to himself. _But if you're good enough, the rewards outweigh the risks. _He allowed himself a superior smile. _And I plan on remaining the best. _Which is why he had grabbed the rose essence. It wasn't the ingredient he and Lilly had agreed on, and it wasn't on the list, but from what he had read (and he had already finished the first year textbooks) it _should_ give the perfect feeling of giddiness, making their potion the best in the class. _I wonder what else the textbook glosses over for first years? I'll have to talk Lilly into testing what methods are actually effective, and what are just the minimum basics._

Of course that would have to be during his free time on the weekend. Immediately following classes, Lucius held gatherings in an empty classroom for his favorites. Usually it was more or less an advanced study session, other times it was simply where they discussed current events. Most notably was that all of the ones invited came from the best families, and were the most promising of the Slytherin house. Some looked askance at Severus' presence at first, but he was a half blood and he was already able to do third year course work. _I've proved myself. I deserve to be here._ Even the most reserved had ended up agreeing that the first year had a place amongst them.

Severus was not the first to arrive to the classroom, and the others radiated a tension you could almost taste. Everyone was still and quiet. Something special was going to happen today. He picked a spot near the fireplace and sat, watching the others. _I wonder what the secret is? And how is Lucius is keeping it that way when he is both popular and the HeadBoy? _This was not the first time that Snape had the feeling that he was missing a piece of context that his housemates had. But Slytherns frowned on indiscretion, so simply asking was out of the question. He watched and waited. _Finding out what Malfoy and his clique are up to should earn me enough favors to set me up favorable until graduation. And after. _

Patience was a hard learned skill from his childhood. Most of Severus's life had been a wait for the letter that would take him away from home and make his life better. Now he was waiting for something else. Something that, judging from everyone's behavior, was just as life altering. The only question is whether he wanted to be involved. _Going from a cheap muggle home to a prideful return of the heir of the noble Prince family…There _is_ a difference between being given the best, and taking the title of the best. _Severus knew which he wanted, and hoped that he was building the connections he would need to succeed as a wizard. But he was cautious enough to want to find out just what the price was going to be for these new connections.

* * *

><p>Hermione wondered why she had given him a straight answer. After all it wasn't like he would figure out if she lied. <em>And it's not like I care about <em>Slythern _unity. _She sat in the library as she did most times after class, reading over a basic summarization of time travel. Part of her was deciding when she'd be considered old enough to be given access to the restricted section, (she'd asked Dumbledore who pointed out how strange she'd look as a first year) but the rest of her was letting her thoughts drift aimlessly.

She was bored. Until this summer she probably had no chance of learning anything useful about time travel. She also didn't have any friends except for Thomas, who only felt an, admittedly false, familial obligation for her. The rest of the class saw no advantage with being friends with one of the lowest ranking people. _Not that I have any real desire to play nice with _this_ lot. _Hermione snorted. _Maybe it's just… as young and arrogant as he is, Snape is familiar. _If she was being honest with herself, she was lonely. _I wonder if I'd have felt like this if I hadn't had the troll incident with Ron and Harry. _Remembering how much of a know it all she had been, Hermione winced.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Startled by the unfamiliar voice, she looked up. Standing on the other side of the table was a Ravenclaw. She had shoulder length blond hair, a snub nose, and looked at her rather anxiously. Putting on her best 'haughty Slythern' face, Hermione shrugged. As the girl sat and began to pull out her books, Hermione asked rather pointedly, "And you are?" The girl froze like a deer caught in headlights, and said hesitantly, "Linda Podmore." Hermione searched her memory but came up blank. Deciding to tone down her assumed attitude she stuck out her hand and said, "I'm Hermione Gamp." The girl relaxed visibly and shook her hand.

"I know. we have transfiguration together three times a week." Pulling out that class's text book she continued. "I noticed you had trouble with the switching spells and since you seem to spend a lot of time in the library, I was hoping you would want to study with me." The Ravenclaw looked rather sad. "I'm rather awful at transfiguration." Hermione felt a jolt of surprise. Someone had approached her, even though she was a Slythern and hadn't been in the least friendly. _Maybe it's only the people in the center of the war that get wrapped up in house identity…_ With a more amiable expression she faced Linda. "To tell you the truth, I just get really nervous in class. I know how to do most of this, I just don't have the confidence to show off."

The Ravenclaw looked at her doubtfully and Hermione pulled out her wand. "Here, I'll show you." Using about a quarter of the power she had been using in her classes, she pointed at her textbook. "**_Objectus Transferus._**" Her book vanished and was replaced with another from her bag. Laughing a bit at the open astonishment on Linda's face, Hermione reached into her bag and pulled back out her potions textbook. "My problem in class is that I get nervous and use too much power."

Falling into lecture mode out of years of habit she continued. "A spell is more than the ability to do magic, the right wand movements to channel the energy, and the correct incantation. It is also the control you have over the energy you give the spell and the intent behind the spell." She waved her wand again this time silently switching her quill, for the one the Ravenclaw was holding. "A witch with enough focused intent can do spells without _any_ incantations, but it also takes more power and plenty of control. When you lose that or try too hard to do a spell that's when it doesn't work. Or," Hermione added with a self-depreciating grin. "You send your practice buttons flying into the backs of other student's heads."

Linda had gone wide-eyed at her fellow first year's surprising expertise, but laughed at the recollection. Snape's expression _had _been priceless. Feeling more like herself than she had since the downfall of Voldemort, Hermione beamed at the blond girl. "I could help you with transfiguration. It's actually my best subject when I'm not nervous." She offered. Linda smiled back at her but was interrupted before she could reply. "That won't be necessary, Gamp. _I'm_ actually supposed to be Linda's study partner." Startled, both girls jumped. _Should put a bell on that boy. _Hermione thought darkly as she looked up to find Snape sneering down at her. _Sneaking up on me is getting to be a bad habit of his. _With a shrug she began to pack up her books.

"Oh but…" Linda reached out a hand to grab Hermione's arm before she could leave. "Can't we all study together? I mean Lilly should be here in a minuet and that would round out the class work more." Smiling slightly, the girl let go of her arm. "I mean I'm the top in Defense, Severus is the best at potions, Lilly has exquisite charm work, and if you can do Transfiguration then we'll have the core classes covered." Hermione stared at the girl. If she had been a normal first year that would be a tempting offer. _Why didn't I think of that the first time around? The boys might have studied more if I'd presented it to them this way. _

For a second she pretended to think about the offer, then she looked back up at Snape. He had a calculating look in his eyes she wasn't sure she liked. "I suppose you're welcome to join us then Gamp." He said and took a seat at the table. A few minutes later the red head that Snape occasionally watched during meals arrived. She apologized for being late and introduced herself as Lilly Evans to Hermione. They spent the next two hours in companionable silence, which was broken only when one of the four hit a rough spot in their studies. Over all it was a peaceful experience unlike any of her previous exchanges with Snape. _I can't waste too much time 'studying' with them… and I don't want anyone to know just how good I really am … But maybe positive interaction between me and the others in this time _isn't _such a bad thing._


End file.
